Mistakes
by thewretchedchild
Summary: Liason. Liz learns something Jason should know, will he find out in time? Last chapter! Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Tragically.

The background Details:

Emily did not get sick, but she and Nic are together. Zander left town, he did not sleep with Liz, who, by extension, is not pregnant. Ric and Liz did not get back together, but Ric is a changed man, and he is dating Skye. Jason and Liz did not become friends again, and currently have not spoken in months. Carly and Sonny are together, and Lorenzo has not been redeemed. 

It's possible you wont need all this information, but in case.

Chapter One 

"Look, nobody suspects a thing." She paused, "Yeah, whatever, Sonny can't be allowed to endanger those children any longer. He is my brother, but it's not like we grew up together. I can't turn my back on his life style anymore. I told you I'd get the evidence and I will. Sonny and my husband trust me, it wont be an issue. Don't call me again." With that Courtney hung up and turned to leave, only to stop when she spotted Liz, who was sitting next to the water, a stunned look on her face. 

Liz had been walking along the water, looking for a place to paint. She had just sat down with her sketch board when she heard a phone ring. Liz guessed that a large planter had hid her, because Courtney had no qualms about launching into her incriminating conversation. 

The same woman who was now stalking up to her with a furious look on her face. Before she had a chance to do anything, a group of teenagers came barreling through, and Liz grabbed the opportunity, merging with the group until she reached a crowded "Kelly's." She ducked inside and grabbed a seat at the counter, hoping Courtney would be disinclined to talk to her in such a public place. 

Now, of course, the question was what to do. After Ric, Liz had vowed to stay away from that entire group of crazies. It was none of her business. She barely knew Sonny and Jason now. But even as she tried to convince herself to stay out of it, she knew she would tell Jason what she had heard. She sighed. It seemed like no matter how hard she tried, she always ended up in the same place.

Looking at Jason's penthouse door.

She knocked, praying that Courtney wasn't at home. The door opened, but instead of Jason, Carly stood in the frame. 

"What do you want?" She said rudely. Elizabeth clung on to her manners. What she needed to do was more important than getting into an argument with Carly.

"Hello Carly. Is Jason home?" 

"No. And I'm sure he wouldn't want to see you anyway." Carly was not going to let that clinging little brat into Jason's life again. Last time, after she had finally accepted that Liz might love him, the girl had skipped out, leaving him broken hearted. He was happy now, and Liz couldn't be allowed to ruin things. The stupid girl refused to take a hint and leave though.

"Do you know when he'll be back?" Liz refused to give up so easily.

"He is out of town on business with Sonny, and I couldn't say. Probably months from now, maybe never. In fact, I think you should give up on ever seeing him again." Carly lied blatantly, adding, "No, no, wait, I remember, he's in Nepal- go look there." And with that she closed the door. 

Elizabeth uttered a short scream, stamping her foot. That stupid bitch, she was trying to help! Taking a deep breath, and then several more, she got a handle on her temper, and knocked, again.

"Go away!" Carly yelled. 

"It's important. It's about Sonny!" Liz yelled back, "Open this door Carly, or when Sonny gets arrested, I'll just tell him you could have fixed it but didn't!

The door opened. "Fine. Come in.

"Thank you." Liz rolled her eyes.

"Say what you have to say and get out." Just because Carly had been beaten didn't mean she had to be gracious about it. 

"I overheard Courtney on her phone on the docks. She said something about getting evidence against Sonny for someone. I thought Jason should know." Carly laughed.

"God Elizabeth. How pathetic can you be? Trying to get Jason back by lying about his wife? Well, in case you ever wonder why it didn't work, it's because no one would take the word of a woman who married and protected that psycho Ric over the word of their best friend, sister and wife. Get out, and don't ever let me catch you spreading those rumors, or I'll make your life a living hell." Carly was furious. 

"Fine. I tried." Liz walked out the door, satisfied that her conscience was clear. If anything happened to Sonny, at least she knew she had done what she could.

Back in the penthouse, Carly walked into the kitchen. "Did you hear that?" She asked Courtney.

"Yes. It's sad how far people will go to get what they want. I can't believe she would say something like that, especially considering we were friends once. Liz really is pathetic." Courtney said aloud, smiling at Carly. All the while mentally making plans to have Elizabeth taken care of. There was to much at stake to let it be ruined now. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Liz looked over her shoulder again. All day she had felt as if she was being watched, but she hadn't seen anyone, and she was forced to think it was just her imagination. The hairs on her neck rose as she walked along the docks to her studio, and suddenly, in addition to feeling paranoid and stupid, she felt frightened. Her steps quickened until she was almost running. She threw a look over her shoulder in time to she a dark shadow launch into her out of the shadows. The force of the attack knocked her off her feet, and she struck her head on the planks. Dazed, she struggled to get away from the shadow, but it was too quick. She caught a flash of light on steel; the downward drop, and felt a blinding, burning pain in her chest. The waves of flame crashed into her brain and though she was certain it meant death, she could not stop the rush. Unconsciousness took her, and her head lolled on the ground, her eyes falling shut.

***

"I'm sorry, but I can't verify that she is dead." He pulled the phone away from his ear as Courtney Matthews voice took on a shrill volume. 

"I told you to take care of her! No mistakes!" Courtney was furious.

"I know, but someone showed up right after I stabbed her and I had to take off. You wouldn't want me to be caught would you?" His voice was sulky. 

"No, I suppose not. Fine. Do you at least think you did the job?

"Well I nailed in the chest, so probably. And I left this scarf I brought, with, umÉ this local gangs colors on it, so it'll look like an initiation type thing." He added proudly. Courtney could feel her head explode.

"You idiot! What the hell were you thinking? You should have taken her purse so it looked like a robbery. Now Sonny and Jason will get involved. They wont ignore a gang hit on their territory! God, just get the hell out of town before fuck it all up more." 

ÔWhat about my money?" He whined.

"It'll be transferred by the end of the day. I never want to hear from you again, do you understand?" Without waiting for an answer, she hung up. Fuck! That moron had ruined everything. Now Jase and her brother would be paying even closer attention to what went on in town. She had her fingers in to many pies for that to be acceptable. First things first, she would wait to find out if Liz was still alive. 

***

Jason Morgan was not having a good day. First, his alarm hadn't gone off, so he had woken up late. Minutes later, as he was trying to rush out the door, Courtney wanted his attention about something, and gotten this pissed look on her face when he gently explained that he really had to go. Shortly after some poser, in an effort to get ahead with Sonny, had stuck in nose into delicate negotiations with Morales, leaving Jason to clean up the mess via an extremely long, headache inducing conference call. Then, when all he wanted was to go home, have a beer and play some pool, Sonny calls him into his office to play family councilor because he and Carly had had yet another fight. And now, the last straw, he realized that in his rush out this morning, her had forgotten to get gas for his bike, which had run out, and that he had also forgotten his wallet, so there was nothing he could do about it. He stood there, considering what the lesser of all evils was. He could walk, he could call his wife, who had been in mood for weeks, or he could call one of the guys and get a ride, but face severe mocking. Deciding that a little exercise would hardly kill him, he started off. A few blocks closer to home his cell phone rang.

"Morgan." He answered tersely.

"Sorry to bother you sir, but our contact at the police department reported that there was a gang related stabbing on the docks today, I thought you would like to know." Jason sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Mike was new, and he tended to be a little gung ho, but in this case

"You were correct. Are we sure it's not a business related hit?

"No sir, all out people are accounted for. Our source said that it was a petite female. She was rushed to General Hospital. A bandana was found with Cobra colors, which is why he called us.

"All right. I'll put out some feelers, and let Sonny know we may have to crack down on the territory. In the meantime, could you please find out what the victims name is, and any possible connections she has to gangs. I don't want to get involved without knowing all the facts.

"Sure thing Mr. Morgan. I'll get right back to you with a name, and then get started researching the girl.

"Thank you Mike," Jason hung up. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling that the whole situation was going to turn complicated. He had just gotten on the penthouse elevator and hit the up button when his phone rang.

"Morgan.

"It's Mike again sir. I found out the name of the victim. It a, um, Elizabeth Weebler." Jason inhaled shortly. "No wait, it's Webber. Elizabeth Webber. Name mean anything to y-" Jason hung up.

DING. The elevator doors open on his floor. He cursed, jamming his finger into the first floor button. Damn it, he had been right, the situation could not be anymore complicated. He hated complicated. He convinced himself that that was why he had been overwhelmed with a feeling of dread.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

As Tony walked out of Elizabeth's hospital room, he marveled at the miracles he had seen in all his years as a doctor. The knife had missed all her vital organs. It had nicked an artery, and she would have died had she not been found so instantaneously, but all in all, she was an extremely lucky young woman. He walked into the waiting room, and smiled reassuringly at the crowd anxiously awaiting news. Emily and Nikolas were whispering to each other on the couch, Lucky was pacing back and forth, Tony was surprised to see Ric, leaning against the wall near the elevator, and Audrey Harding was sitting alone in a chair. She was the first to see him, and she jumped up, asking,

"Will my granddaughter be all right?" her voice quavering. The rest of the group all came to attention, watching him with first fear, then relief in their eyes.

"She will. She is extremely fortunate to have gotten here so quickly, and she'll be weak for sometime, but soon she'll be as good as new.

"Oh thank God, thank God." Audrey smiled youthfully as Lucky swept her into an exuberant hug. Em and Nikolas were beaming, and Ric looked like a huge weight had been removed from his shoulders. He took a breath, and then asked, officially, 

"When do you think she will be well enough to speak to the police? The guy needs to be caught and thrown in jail as soon as possible." Tony considered. 

"Maybe sometime tomorrow. She's still very weak and disoriented right now, and what she needs most is rest.

"Tomorrow then. Thank you Dr. Jones." Ric addressed the group, "Please excuse me." Without waiting for an answer, he turned and left. Emily looked around, 

ÔWell, now that we know Elizabeth will be okay, Nik and I are going to go. Audrey, will you tell her we'll be by to see her tomorrow?

"Of course, Dear. Thank you so much for waiting with me." Nikolas smiled at her, "Where else would we be?" He asked rhetorically. "Goodnight everybody." Tony's beeper went off, and he said,

"Just call me if you have any questions. I have to take this. Go in and see her whenever you are ready Audrey.

"Thank you again Tony!" He nodded, and disappeared down the corridor. Audrey looked at her one remaining companion. "Well Lucky, shall we go see her?

"No. I'll come back later. I don't want to tire her out, and I think you are probably who she wants to see the most." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, "Tell her we all love her okay?" She patted his cheek.

"You're such a good boy. Liz is lucky to have you. I will tell her what you said." She took a deep breath, and walked into Liz's room. 

Unseen by all, Jason came out from his position behind a large Fern. Not actively hiding, nor had he gone out of his way to draw attention. His joy at hearing that she would make a full recovery was surprisingly strong, and he didn't want his strange reaction to be commented upon. Marshalling his thoughts, he called Sonny, letting him know Elizabeth's condition, and explaining that he panned to wait until Audrey left, then go in and ask Liz what she remembered. Hanging up, he slide down onto a couch and prepared to wait.

***

Courtney knocked on the door briefly before opening the door and sticking her head in.

"Carly? You here?" A voice floated down the stairs,

"Up here!" She let herself in and walked upstairs, finding Carly in the study. "Hey Courtney, what brings you by?" Carly was ensconced on a cozy chair, reading a magazine, on the end table, a sophisticated plate incongruously adorned with Ho Ho's. 

"I was just wondering if you had heard from Jason? I expected him home hours ago, and he's not answering his phone.

"Probably because he's got it turned of. He's at the hospital checking on Liz." Carly rolled her eyes, as if to ask, can you believe it? 

"What happened? Is she okay?" Courtney's voice was a study of nonchalance. 

"She was stabbed, gang thing. She'll be fine." A flash of something went across Courtney's face, quickly covered. Courtney nodded.

"Well, that's good. Listen, I forgot I had something in the oven, excuse me." She ran out before Carly could say anything else. Carly sat in the chair, pondering her sense of unease. She couldn't be sure, but she almost thought Courtney had looked disappointed to hear that Elizabeth would live. Carly desperately didn't want to think that of her friend, but she had survived to long trusting her instincts, and they were telling her that something about Courtney was, well, off. She made a mental to talk to Sonny about it as soon as her got home. 

***

AHHHHH! What luck! The stupid bitch had survived. Courtney slammed the door as she walked back into her home. She always did. Now everything was even more tangled up. Another attack on Liz would look suspicious, but she didn't know how else to keep her from talking. Sure, no one had believed her before, but now she'd been injured, and both her ex's were in law enforcement. They would probably give her the benefit of the doubt, even if Carly wouldn't. Courtney ran her hands through her hair, tugging on the ends. She had to think. Okay, on the plus side, she probably wouldn't be talking to anyone until tomorrow at least. She would have to have some sort of complication from her injuries, like hemorrhagingÉor something. NoÉShe couldn't do that without knowing more about her injuries, and she couldn't make inquiries without it looking suspicious later. She sighed. For now, she would have to play innocent, hope no one believed Liz, cover her tracks, and take care of the problem later, permanently. 

Courtney went into the kitchen to make dinner, all part of her masquerade as the loving wife. Her lip curled, she couldn't wait to get away from this whole group. Between her deal with the FBI, and one of The Families, both unbeknownst to the other, everything would go down in as "tragic, "bloody a fashion as she could hope. When the smoke cleared, Sonny's operation would be ripped apart, He and Jason, and, if she could swing it, Carly would be dead, and all at the hands of the feds. Naturally, as the grieving aunt, she would be the natural choice to adopt the boys. She would take over the territory, the riches, and most importantly, the children. It was clear that she was the best parent for them. Carly and Sonny had no idea how to take care of them. She smiled dreamily as she thought of the future.

***

It was hours later when Audrey stood up from the bedside of her Granddaughter. Elizabeth has not awoken, and Audrey decided that she wouldn't until the next morning, by which time she would be back. She leaned down and kissed Elizabeth's forehead, whispering, "I love you darling." before slipping out the door. 

Moments later, it opened again, and Jason walked in. He let his eyes adjust to the dark before moving to her bedside. Even in the faint light, he was appalled to see how pale she was. He sat in the chair at the head of the bed and leaned in.

"Elizabeth? Can you hear me?" There was no response. "Elizabeth, I know you're tired, and I hate to bother you, but I need to talk to you." He sighed as she remained completely oblivious. He settled into the chair, patient as ever.

An hour later he tried again. "Elizabeth?" This time she made a small sound, and her hand twitched on the covers. "Come on, wake up and talk to me, okay Elizabeth? You have something important to say." He coaxed. She moaned, but her eyelashes began to flutter, and moments later, her eyes open entirely. She turned her head slowly, and focused on his face.

"Jason?

"Hey, welcome back. How do you feel?" She winced.

"Like someone jabbed something sharp into my chest." It was his turn to wince, the visual image like something sharp being jabbed in his. "What are you doing here, Jason?" to the point as always. 

"I have to ask you a question." She took a breath. 

"Ask away.

"Do you know who did this to you?

.to be continued. 

Thanks for all the reviews! They make my day, so keep it up. I want to know what you think about everything, so don't hold back! See you around! 


	4. Chapter Four

Sorry it's been so long since my last update. Work, school, laziness, really, just pick one. Anyway, enjoy (and then review!).

Chapter Four

At first he thought she hadn't heard him, because she just looked at him for the longest time, as if trying to calculate a million different variables in the shortest amount of time. "Elizabeth? Do you know who did this?" He asked again.

She shook her head. "No, I didn't see whoever it was." She hesitated, as if she were going to add something, but then made a brief, negative shake of the head, and remained silent. He felt frustration building up inside him. Damn it, if she knew something, why wouldn't she let him help her? He pulled back mentally, shocked at the depth of his anger. 

Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "Liz, I really need to know if you have any idea who could be behind this. Let me help you." 

She smiled slightly. What would he do if she told him? Even though she had planned to earlier, Carly's reactions made her rethink the wisdom behind telling Jason. After all, Carly had a point. Courtney was his wife. The woman he loved. Why would he take her word for it that she was secretly plotting against them all? Liz didn't even like Courtney and she had a hard time believing it. On the other hand, she thought, looking at Jason's hansom face, after everything they had been through together, could she really bring herself to hold back? "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Jason.

"Try me." He responded quickly. 

She shook her head, "No, really Jason, it's better that I don't say anything. We were friends once. I know you. For better or for worse, and you don't need me to tell you my stupid theories." She tried to make it sound as if she would only be speculating anyway. As if she had nothing concrete to base anything on. Not that she planned to be a sitting duck. As soon as Jason left, she was calling Luke. She could get her out of town and away from that blond psycho. Naturally, Jason refused to be persuaded. 

"I know you too, Elizabeth, and I know when you're trying to placate me. You know something. Which you think I should know. So tell me. Now." He leaned in, invading her personal space. 

"Fine!" She snapped. "But don't say I didn't try to warn you. I heard Courtney on the docks, saying something about getting evidence against you and Sonny. She saw me and tried to get to me, but I ran away. I went to tell you, ended up telling Carly instead, and an hour later I get stabbed in the back. So really my Ôtheory' is that your wife tried to kill me. There, are you happy?" She regretted the words the instant they left her mouth, especially when she looked up and saw the stunned look on Jason's face. He fell back in his chair, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry." She added softly.

He shook his head violently. "You must be mistaken. You misheard what she was saying, and the rest is in your head. I know my wife, and she's not capable of doing something like that!" Liz looked at him sadly, saying nothing. "I mean it. I don't want you saying anything about this to the police. It's pure speculation based on something I'm sure you're wrong about anyway." Jason couldn't even contemplate the consequences of Elizabeth being right. Not even so much because of what it meant on terms of him, but even more because of Sonny and Carly. A betrayal like this would hurt them both so much, especially Sonny. The more he sat and thought about it though, the more things started to make a horrible sort of sense. She had been so different ever since Carly had been in a coma, secretive, and erratic. She had been so angry with him, and then suddenly, everything was fine. She was always slipping off without saying where she was going. He hadn't said anything, since frankly, he had been glad for the space, but he had noticed. 

And even more damning was the stuff she had suddenly stopped saying. Two months ago, she was always talking about the future, questioning his job, questioning the boy's safety, and Sonny abilities to take care of them. Hell, she had even taken them away, bringing them back only when she had no legitimate excuse to do otherwise. Now, apparently, none of that mattered. He came out of his mental rundown, and looked at Liz, who was watching him patiently. He felt abruptly guilty as he took in her appearance, which was grey with strain. He cursed himself. The woman had been stabbed in the back, been through major surgery, and was now waiting to see if he would believe her after he had awaken he to demand answers. As if to make him feel worse, he eyes began to close, only to open again as she tried desperately to stay awake, for him. 

As if sensing he was ready, she asked gently, "Do you believe me?" 

He took a deep breath, and then exhaled in a rush. Unable to comprehend how complicated it was about to get, he nodded. "Yes. I wish I didn't, but I do." 

It was her turn to take a breath, though hers was one of relief. "What do you want to do?" She was so tired, but she had to stay awake. If Jason didn't plan to protect her, she needed to call Luke, or Nikolas, or Lucky, because God knew she was to weak to look after her self right now. As if he knew she meant Ôright now' rather than in general, Jason was quick to reassure her.

"I don't know what we'll do in the long run. There are to many things I don't know. But for now, I'll stay here. You can go to sleep. Don't worry, I'll watch out for you." 

"Thank you." Almost before she finished uttering the words, Elizabeth was asleep. Jason turned out the bedside lamp and settled back in his chair, and at the door, looking into the room, stood Courtney, looking on with thwarted rage.

To Be Continued

So? What do ya think? No really, tell me! I mean it, click "review" right now and let me knowÉ.

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	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five 

Courtney stalked down the hall. Damn that stupid twit anyway! Who would have thought she would survive everything that had been thrown at her all these years? Why would she just die? Courtney swung around the corner, eyes blazing, cursing to herself, only to smash into Sonny, coming the other way. 

"Whoa!" He reached out and steadied her. She quickly plastered a fake smile on her face. 

"Sonny! What are you doing here?" Cue concern. "Are you here to see Elizabeth?" She lowered her voice. "It's so sad what happened, isn't it?" Her eyes were cold as they examined his face, assessing his reaction. 

"It is sad. I wish that I could have protected her from this, especially after everything she has been through with Ric. She deserves some peace." Sonny looked past Courtney down the hall, then back at her. "Were you just visiting?

She shook her head, "No. I was going to, but she was asleep, so I was just going to wait for Jason." She pause, as if she were thinking, and then added, "You know, you might want to wait until tomorrow to visit, she probably shouldn't be disturbed." Courtney tried to buy time, in case the bitch had convinced Jason that she couldn't be trusted. 

"You're probably right." Sonny said slowly. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "G'night, honey." He turned and walked off towards the elevators. She waited a moment, and then followed. As soon as she reached the waiting area, she pulled out her phone, punching in her co-conspirators number. 

"Hello? She survived." Courtney paused. "No." Another pause. "Look, I'm sure she didn't hear your name; absolutely positive. At worst, she thinks I'm turning them in to the FBI. She has no idea how far this goes." She stopped, listening. "Well of course she has to be taken care of, but it's all fucked up now. If you have any brilliant ideas, then feel free to share them. In the meantime, I'll do what I think is best." The voice on the phone increased in volume, and Courtney winced. "No, I'm not trying to be disrespectful, just to the point. I'll call you as soon as I know anything. Goodnight." She closed the phone before taking the stairs down to the street. 

Sonny stepped out of his hiding place, crouched behind the fern. His face was shuttered and cold. He couldn't believe the extent of the betrayal he had just heard. To think, if Carly hadn't shared her concerns, he would never have noticed her strange, calculating behavior in the hall. He would never have positioned himself to eavesdrop, in case there was something to hear. Most importantly, he might never have known his little sister was a poisonous viper until it was to late. Steeling himself to tell Jason the truth about her, he let himself into Elizabeth's room. Jason looked at him, his face utterly serious. 

"Sonny," he whispered, "I have to tell you something important. You won't want to believe it, but-" 

Sonny cut him off, also in a whisper. "My sister has betrayed me?" 

Jason's eyes widened, "How did you know?

"I overheard her talking to someone in the waiting room. It was clear that she is planning something big.

Sonny tried desperately to keep the pain out of his voice, but Jason heard it, and echoed it, saying softly, "I trusted her too." The two men stood in silence, united in their loss of a woman who apparently had never existed. 

After a moment, Sonny shook it off, asking, "How did you know?

Jason nodded towards Elizabeth. "She heard Courtney plotting on the docks. She's pretty sure that Courtney is behind her attack." Sonny flinched at the further proof of his sister's malevolent nature. "I promised Elizabeth that I would stay with her tonight, and that tomorrow we would find a way to protect her." Sonny nodded, and Jason explained what he wanted to do. "I think I should take her to the island, with Carly and the boys. We don't know what Courtney is planning, or who her partners are, so it seems like the best idea to get everyone where we can control who had access to them.

"I agree. In the meantime, I'll stay here and try to figure out what she is up to. I think we should at least try to convince her that we don't know what's going on. We'll tell her that we are sending Liz to the island to recover, since she is obviously coming a little unglued, and that Carly and the boys needed a little vacation, but that since I received a threat against them, I'm sending you as well. Chances are she won't fall for it, but it's worth a try." Sonny outlined the plan, thinking as he went along. 

Jason added, "We need to make sure that the business goes dark for awhile. NO shipments, no calls, nothing until we know what's going on." 

"Alright. You stay here, guard Elizabeth, and I'll o take care of all the details. I'll send a car in the morning, with a nurse to monitor Elizabeth's condition while she travels. Be ready to go." Sonny took another look at the woman lying so still on her bed. Jason laid a hand on Sonny's shoulder in sympathy, but he shook it off. He had to put the plan in place, and then he could go home to his wife and grieve. 

Jason sat back down as Sonny walked out, angling his chair to face the door. And even though he told himself not to, he found himself reaching out and grasping Elizabeth's limp hand, as if it would lead him into his new life, without Courtney. 

*** 

Don't forget to review, Mwa ha ha ha ha!


	6. Chapter Six

Another story long over due for an update. My apologies. This is mostly a transitional chapter, setting everything up so we can have some fun. I hope you like it. You will, of course, have to let me know. By..um..reviewing. = )

Chapter Six

24 Hours Later

Liz sent Jason a smile, hoping to reassure him. He had been hovering protectively since they had left the hospital. You would think they didn't have a professional nurse traveling with them, the way he acted. Of course, the fact that she winced at the least movement probably had something to do with his constant worry. She did it yet again, as she stood to leave the private plane.

"Are you sure-" He started for the millionth time.

"Jason, I'll be okay. You don't have to worry so much." As if the gods had aligned against her, no sooner had the words left her mouth when she tripped over her own feet. She didn't fall, but the resulting lurch caused excruciating stabs of pain to radiate through her entire body, and she found the world dimming around her. She could hear Jason cursing as his arms wrapped about her gently, and he carefully lifted her into his arms.

Having already exited the plane with the boys, Carly's face appeared in the door. "Hey, what's the holdup- Oh. Is she okay?

Elizabeth looked over, her gaze clear again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Tripped over nothing like an idiot. Then proceeded to regress to the Victorian age with a swoon." She snorted, "I'm real tough.

"You are tough. I didn't move off your couch for a month after I was shot, and here you are, taking trips to the Caribbean days after being shot." Jason objected.

Carly rolled her eyes at the pair of them, gazing soulfully at each other, pretending not to be. "Anyway, come on you two. The boys are getting restless." With that, Carly walked back down the stairs to the car. She was surprised how easy it was to be at truce with Elizabeth, once it got on a roll. It probably helped that Liz looked at deaths door, and that Carly still felt so personally responsible for Courtney's place in their lives. She knew it wasn't her fault that the Courtney had turned out to be a two-faced bitch, but certainly the girl would never have become so entangled if Carly hadn't made such an effort to make her a part of the family.

Grief tried to rise to the surface again. Since she had learned the truth, she had had no time to morn for the friendship she had lost. Or, truthfully, had never had. Now was not the time either, and she determinedly pushed the feelings back, smiling at her children. Looking at them, her smile became real. Jason and Liz got situated in the other car, and they all drove off to the casino.

Back in Port Charles

"Gone?" Courtney echoed, staring at her brother.

"Yes. I received another threat, and I sent Carly and the boys to the island." Sonny did his best to squelch the betrayal. He wanted to rail against the woman that had proven, once again, that trust was a rarity he could not afford.

Gritting her teeth, Courtney forced her voice to be worried, "And Jason and Elizabeth-" She let her voice quaver, "Did they go.. together?

Sonny mentally assessed the value of letting Courtney think Jason had moved on. But he decided to stick to the original plan. "No. Jason is there to protect Carly, Michael and Morgan. Elizabeth is there because.. Well, there's no easy way to say it. She's obviously become paranoid and irrational. I can't blame her after her marriage to Ric. Carly said you heard all those ridiculous accusations she's been making. I didn't want the police to get involved, so I had her sent to the island with a private nurse." He tacked on, as if just thinking of it, "I had Jason guard Liz last night, just in case she tried to talk to anyone.

"Oh- that's why he was there." Her tone now took a relieved tone. "I don't mind telling you, I was.. concerned that they might be, well, getting back together.

Sonny laughed. "No! No, Jason loves you. Heh.

Courtney smiled. "Well, I should get going. I have a shift at Kelly's and I don't want to be late." She leaned in to hugs him. Sonny flinched, and coughed dramatically.

"I think I'm coming down with something. I don't want to give it to you.

"Right. Okay, well I'll see you later." Sonny breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her. That had been close. If she had hugged him, he wasn't sure he could have restrained himself from blurting out the truth. He felt sick. Had there ever been a more false conversation than the one he had just endured? Both of them pretending to be loving siblings, neither meaning it. He just hoped she had bought it.

Courtney stood in the elevator, riding down to the street. She wondered if anything she had just heard was the truth. Rationally, she thought yes, since Sonny would never have been able to hide it if he knew she had betrayed him. But he had avoided hugging her- of course, they had never been that physical with each other.. Her brain replayed the conversation over and over, before she finally decided that while the current course of events was extremely inconvenient, she hadn't been exposed.

At the Island

Liz let out a contented moan. Between the beautiful sunset, the wonderfully comfortable chaise lounge, and, most importantly, the codeine buzz, she felt better than she had for years. If she tried (as she was doing) she could, in fact, forget the past year, and it was like she was flying. Hmmm. Maybe that was the codeine again. Succumbing to sleepiness, Liz slipped off to dreamland with a slight smile on her lips.

It was a smile that Jason puzzled at, in light of everything she had gone through recently. But he also let himself linger over it, remembering when it had been his goal in life to produce them. Not that she had ever really known it. He thought she had begun to love him, before the whole fiasco with Sonny. He knew she hadn't loved him after that. And he had just discovered, when faced with a world she wasn't apart of, that it mattered to him. That she had once loved him; that she no longer did. After all, until two days ago, she had been a peripheral part of his life, if anything. If someone had asked him, he would have said her total absence would give him but a pang. He never suspected that the threat of it would roar through him the way it had.

He had also never suspected how little he cared for his wife. Huh, live and learn, right? He knew that the pain of her treachery should be overwhelming, but he found that it wasn't so personal. Objectively, he was furious that he could have been taken in, and there was a vague sense of hurt that someone he considered, well, good and kind, turned out not to be, but none of it was had the intensity that a man should feel after learning that his wife had been plotting to destroy him.

Looking at Elizabeth, Jason began to wonder if Courtney had ever been anything more than a distraction. Something to take his mind off his loss. He thought, subconsciously, he must have known there was nothing between them. In an effort to continue the charade, he had escalated things between him and Sonny. It was all so clear looking back. No wonder Sonny hadn't wanted them to be together. He had known that Jason was using Courtney. The fact that she had turned out to be using them didn't make it right. He sighed. He wished that he could undue that last years. Tell Liz the truth. How much pain could have been spared for them all if he had.

What do you think?


	7. Chapter Seven

Good Lord it's an update! You must have done something good to get this treat! It's long, it's exciting, it's dum dum dum, time for revenge! Not to much Liason, but it still has lots of happy-squirming inducing moments. Well (crisis of confidence), it's SUPPOSED to. I wanted it to. That is, I tried to put them there. Oh, no! What if it's not a good as I want it to be (well, THAT'S a given, but what if it's not the way I think it is?!) You know what, I think I'm going to need lots a reviews to bolster my self-esteem enough to go on.. Heh, why yes, I have been told that I'm an evil blackmailing wretch, thank you! = )

Anyway, I hope it's as much fun as I wanted it to be. If it's not revenge enough, let me know, so I can concoct something even more wretched.

DISCLAIMER: You know I don't own anyone or anything related to GH, because if I did, I would still be watching it, instead of having dropped it, after five years, at least until Elizabeth returns. If I owned it, the would be romance, storylines involving more than the same five people, and I would never have Jax be so cocky as to think that even for 10 MILLION dollars, no woman could resist him.

Huh.. pent up aggression anyone? Onward:

Chapter Seven

Sonny smiled grimly, staring out his penthouse window. It had been three days since he had last spoken to Courtney, and since then, he had been able to unravel the full scope of her plans. The sheer twisted nature of them made him sick, and he could hardly wait to be rid of the lying bitch. Playing nice cost him dearly, but soon it would be worth it. He checked his watch: 8:29pm. In less than an hour, he would get his revenge, and so much more besides. He walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink, then settled on the couch to wait.

NINE O'CLOCK

The knock was quick, and Courtney let herself in before he had the chance to answer. He summoned up a look of pleasure.

"Courtney, come on in. Can I get you a drink?" She shook her head. Inside she gave a little cry of joy. He still suspected nothing. Tonight it would all be hers. The boys, the money, the territory, but mostly, the freedom from Sonny, Carly, Jason, and that twit, Elizabeth. She waited until she had kissed his cheek and settled into a chair before setting the plot in motion.

"Sonny, listen, you know I don't want to be involved in your business, or pry in anyway, but, well, I overhead Alcazar saying something about hijacking a shipment tonight. I just wanted to tell you, you know, in case.. um.." she let her voice trail off, and drew her brows together, as if concerned. Sonny rolled his eyes internally, but tightened his lip and stiffened.

"Thank you. I appreciate you letting me know, despite your feelings. Can you excuse me a moment?" He took out his cell phone, and exited the apartment, as if to make a secretive phone call.

As soon as he left, Courtney pulled out her own phone, and made a call to contact The Families. Leaving a message at the designated number, she left the shipment details, the make of Sonny's current car, and then hung up. As pre-arranged, The Family would swoop in to "take care of" Sonny and Jason, and claim his shipment. She had been worried about all the possible screw ups, especially since Jason had left town, but he had called that morning to let her know he would be flying back to Port Charles that morning, and that he would see her tonight, after he had looked over some business. Carly was still at the island, but Courtney had decided that Carly would be so grief stricken she wouldn't want to live. She had already hired someone to ensure that it was so. She squirmed happily. It was all going so well!

The door latch clicked, and she immediately schooled her features to gentle caring. Sonny, even though he knew better, was impressed by her guile. He shook his head. "You were right. Will you be okay here if I have to leave later?

She answered quickly, "Of course! Do I still get that late dinner you promised me though?

"Naturally. I can't let my favorite little sister go hungry now can I?

"I'm your only sister!" She shot back, in a parody of sibling love.

Sonny was forced to turn abruptly and head into the kitchen, as his eyes burned. Her words had struck an unexpected nerve. She was his only sister. He had loved her. His heart ached to know she was nothing more than lying trash. He would have done anything for her, and she had plotted to get him killed. His breath was shaky and he had to take calming breath before calling back, "Set the table, kid. You didn't you were getting of scot-free did you?" He gritted his teeth at the sound of her laughter, which, to his bitter ears, was nothing more than a mocking refrain.

The night dragged by, for them both, as the sat eating, then watching a foreign film, each awaiting the downfall of the other. At ten till midnight, his phone rang. After answering it, he made his excuses and rushed out. Courtney waited a few minutes, and then hurriedly followed. There was no way she was going to miss this. On the way, she made a phone call to the FBI, to an agent she had been stringing along. Gasping tearily into the phone, she told him about how she could hold on to her secrets no longer, and how she didn't know what, but something big was going down tonight. Satisfied that even if anyone survived the shootout, they would be imprisoned, she made her way to a viewpoint of the main dock.

On the dock, the men were busy unloading crates, the noise level unusually hushed. She jumped as Agent Scott suddenly spoke into her ear.

"Why are you here?" He seemed confused. Surely a gently bred lady, such as she had presented herself, would not want to see such bloodshed. She allowed her eyes to fill.

"I just, had to, say goodbye. I know it was stupid, but he is," she released a sob, "my brother!

The agent comforted her awkwardly. "Look, just, stay out of the way, alright. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you." She nodded, then scoffed as he walked away. Men were such idiots. Including, apparently, her contact in the families. They should have been here. Sonny and Jason walked onto the docks, and then all hell broke loose.

"Freeze! Federal Agents! Put your hands in the air!" The FBI surrounded the workers, everyone looking startled and anxious. Courtney cursed. She had wanted them dead, not in jail! She consoled herself with the knowledge that with his claustrophobia, jail would be worse for Sonny anyway. She waited until Sonny and Jason had been cuffed before revealing herself. The two men looked stunned, and she revelled in it.

"Not so smug now, are we? Always ordering me around, telling me what to do!" She smirked at Sonny, before turning to Jason. "And you. It's your fault I lost my baby- well, I'm equaling the scales. I'll take Michael and Morgan." Sonny just looked at her. "What? Why are you so calm?!" She shrieked. They all turned when another agent let out a cry.

"Agent Scott?" The lead agent walked over. "Agent Scott, this appears to be a shipment of.. well.. um..

"Spit it out, Agent!" Scott snapped, impatient.

"Teddy bears.

Courtney screamed with rage, whirling to face her husband and her brother. Sonny raised an eyebrow, and Jason looked his blankest, but for a quirk in his lip. She hit him. "How? How did you know! I hate you. Maybe you got out of this, but the fact is, I have more plans, and I'll get you! You will die, and I'll have those boys." She punctuated her rant with another screech. Agent Scott looked appalled. His source was clearly unbalanced. He waved for an Agent to restrain Mrs. Morgan, who struggled and yelled. He looked at Sonny. He knew the man was a criminal, but he couldn't prove it, and he was forced to apologize.

"Clearly the information we received was incorrect. You have the FBI's apology for the inconvenience.

Sonny smiled, "It is I who is sorry Agent Scott. My sister has always been mentally unstable. I cannot apologize enough for her dragging you into this all.

"I'm not insane! I'll get you Sonny, if it's the last thing I do. I talked to Franco," she named the head of the families. "He agrees you should be killed. I'll get everything!" No sooner were the words out of her mouth when Franco and his wife walked onto the scene.

"Mr. Corenthos! Is everything all right?" the man solicitously inquired.

"Yes, of course, Franco, just a misunderstanding.

"Good, good." Franco spoke to Sonny, but turned his eyes to Courtney. "I would want nothing to get in the way of our long standing.. friend-ship." She began struggling anew, and Franco departed.

The agent holding her jerked her arms around. "Calm down, Mrs. Morgan.

Before anything else could happen, and out of nowhere, Carly and Elizabeth strolled down the stairs.

"Sonny?" Carly ran to her husband. "Is everything okay?

He kissed her forehead. "Everything is fine. Courtney just had another.. episode." Carly tut-tutted sympathetically. "She seems to lose touch with reality more and more.

Meanwhile, Jason had made his way to Elizabeth, leaning down to give he sweet kiss on the lips. "How are you Darling?

She smiled up at him. "Fine. I'm sorry Courtney's having trouble again.

Courtney sprang forward, rage giving her strength. Hearing pity from that uptight bitch was more than she could bear. She was going to rip her limpid little eyes out. Unfortunately, she was forestalled by another agent slamming into her side, knocking her onto the ground. A second agent quickly pounced and slapped a pair of cuffs on her. She began a litany of threats, each more creative than the next. One of the agents tried to calm her, saying, "Don't worry. We'll get you help, Mrs. Morgan." She thunked her head on the wood.

Jason. "Actually, it's Ms. Matthews. We are no longer married." Courtney's craned her head around, and stared up at him. "I'm afraid that's part of the reason for all the drama, she is trying to get back at me for going back to my first love, Elizabeth. Learning that she was nothing more than an extremely stupid, insipid, dull, unattractive replacement was hard on her." Jason knew that he should try to make himself more sympathetic, but the temptation to rub Courtney's nose in her failure proved too strong.

Elizabeth was equally unable to hold back. "Oh Jason," She batted her eyelashes at him. "That's so sweet. It was so self-sacrificing to stay married to such a bitter, hideous harpy, just because you felt sorry for her. Now that she'll be getting professional help, I think we should get a big house, and have lots of kids.

Carly stepped up, "And they can play with my sons, who will be thrilled that they don't have to spend time with their least favorite person. After all," Carly looked Courtney in the eyes, "kids hate lying bitches.

Courtney could only continue her now incoherent shrieking. The FBI looked rather bemused. Agent Scott piped up again. "Well, this has been a long evening for us all. We will drop Ms. Matthews at the psychiatric ward, since I don't think it's safe to leave her with you." He said this last part dryly, as Courtney was still making dire pronouncements under her breath. Within moments, the agents had cleared the scene. Courtney was dragged away, flailing, as Sonny, Carly, Jason and Elizabeth, with toothy grins, waved merrily.

As soon as the foursome was alone, they exchanged their fake smiles for real ones, laughing joyfully. For a moment, their betrayal and pain was softened by their satisfaction at making the world secure again. As the laughter died away, Carly turned and gave her husband a hug. "I'm sorry. I know tonight was hard for you. But she's out of our lives now. As soon as we sign some papers, she'll be committed for good." He nodded, his face against her neck. They stood like this for a minute, before Sonny cleared his throat and pulled away. His eyes met Elizabeth's compassionate gaze, and he smiled, glad she was part of their lives again. Carly felt that the moment deserved to be marked by good as well as sadness. "I haven't had a chance to say I'm sorry for my behavior when you came to warn us. It was uncalled for. I hope that, given time, we might be able to find a way to get along.

Jason and Sonny looked at her, taken aback, but Elizabeth just smiled. "I would like that, Carly. Thank you." She looked at the men, "Thank you for believing me when you had no reason to trust me.

"You've always tried to be a good friend Elizabeth. If there is ever, anything, I can do for you, you just have to ask." Sonny vowed. Elizabeth looked touched, and moved in to give him a hug, but suddenly the strain of standing for so long, still so soon after attack, became to much. She paled and began to sway on her feet. Jason lunged for her, wrapping his arms around her so she wouldn't fall.

"I think that is more than enough for you." Jason said, speaking into her hair. He addressed Sonny and Carly, "I'm taking over to the Port Charles Hotel. I don't want her to be at the penthouse while it still looked like the chintz monstrosity Courtney made it." They nodded, and said their goodnights.

Elizabeth sagged against him. "I'm so tired, Jason.

He picked her up carefully, not wanting to jar her wound. "I know baby. You can sleep now. When you wake up, you'll be in a cozy bed.

"You wont leave me, right?" She yawned as she asked, but the words carried a sense of urgency. He squeezed her to him, looking longingly at her face.

"No, I wont leave you.

TBC

Don't forget to tell me what you think! I NNNNEEEEEDDDDDDD it!


	8. Chapter Eight

It's been a sweet ride, but, as I feel I have to many stories in the air, I'm finishing this off. I think it's natural though, and I personally like this chapter a lot, so I hope you do to. Thank you again for all the nice things you've all said, and for the support and encouragement. You've made writing this story a joy. And don't worry, I'll still be writing all the others, so you wont miss me, I'm sure. Have fun, and let me know how you like it!

Chapter Eight

When Elizabeth woke up, she was overcome with bewilderment. All the travel and stress left her with no idea where she was. She craned her neck, looking at the ceiling, before dragging herself up, bracing herself on her elbows. Seeing the full room informed her that she was at some sort of hotel, but it wasn't until she saw a sleeping Jason, looking ridicules in a Victorian gilt chair, that she remembered where she was.

She took a moment to enjoy the sight of Jason, vulnerable in sleep. It was so rare that she had the chance to look at him unobserved. The last few day s on the island, she had found it harder and harder to see him as a friend; or at least, only as a friend. She marveled to think that they had begun they're friendship six years before, and that still they tiptoed around the heart of it. She lay in bed, propped up on the pillows, examining every inch of his face. He had aged in the years since she had known him, and god knows she had. Thinking back on all the events and things and people that had separated them, Lucky, Zander, Courtney, Ric, Sonny, Carly, the whole damn town, in fact, the business, their own stubbornness, the past, Elizabeth was abruptly overtaken with rage. It seemed like fate had aligned to keep her away from the only thing she had truly wanted for years.

CRASH

Jason snapped awake at the sound, his normal speed to assessing the situation was deterred by his disorientation and exhaustion. His eyes widened as a lamp wizzed across the room and hit the opposite wall. He looked over and flinched to see Liz brandishing another lamp, and preparing to hurl it after the first. He wondered idoly what she had thrown the first time as his dove toward her and grabbed the light source.

"Elizabeth! What are you doing?" He gently pushed her down onto the bed. She struggled briefly, then sat. He lowered his guard, only to have her punch him in the arm. "Ow!" He grabbed her hands. "Elizabeth!" He said again, at a loss what to do.

"Damn it Jason!" She railed at him, "You promised me. I said, I swore to you, that I could handle anything but you lying to me! And you did it, for no good reason."

His jaw clenched, and though he had been expecting this confrontation for some time, he wished that they never had to have it. "Look, Elizabeth-"

"Haven't I always kept your secrets?! When you were hiding in my studio, and you didn't want anyone to know you had come back to town, didn't I hide you from everyone? I lied to everyone, for you. And I promised you that I would always listen to you when it came to your work. I was locked in a mausoleum because I wanted you, I went against the entire town."

"You slept with Zander." He cut her off.

Her voice grew quiet. "But it was a mistake. I told you it was. I told you I wanted you, and I missed you, and I asked for another chance, and you gave it to me. You made a promise to me, a commitment, and then, within a day, turned around and lied." Moisture showed in her eyes, but she blinked it back, determined not to use tears to win.

"I had to, for Sonny." His voice sounded hollow, even to himself. To his surprise, she conceded the point- to a point.

"Look, I get it, that you have to lie for work, that you can't always tell me things. But all you had to do was call me, and say ÔI'm alright' and tell me that there was something that you couldn't tell me, but that things would be alright. All you had to do was trust me to do what _I_ promised I would." Her voice had lost its hysterical edge, but remained firm. "All I needed was.." But here she stopped, unwilling to throw her heart out. She couldn't shake the feeling that it would end up in pieces, like the lamp.

Jason, still holding her hands down, closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. He too had trouble understanding why things had been so difficult for them. He too wondered why it seemed like the entire world had placed itself between him and this woman. And he too was afraid to risk his heart on what had proven to be the biggest gamble of all: a life with her. When he opened his eyes, he saw tears on Elizabeth's face, which had come despite her vow. Her voice wobbled as she said miserably, "All you had to do was believe that I wanted you."

"Oh Christ Elizabeth," the words rushed out of him, "I tried to. I tried to believe that more than anything, but I just couldn't. Other than Sonny, and Emily, no one ever wanted _me_. My family wanted Jason Quartermaine. Carly wanted a savior, and she always wanted more. Robin wanted, I don't know, someone else. This entire town looks at me and wants me to do something else, or be someone else." Unbelievably, a tear escaped him as well. "And there you were, always accepting me just as I was, and I just couldn't believe that you really saw me, or understood, because, if you did, you would want something else too."

"No, no, no, no, no.." she chanted , pulling her hands from his, and then tugging him onto the bed, into her arms. "I did see you. I do see you. I wanted you just as you were." She paused, said a mental farewell to her heart, and then gave it to him. "I DO want you. Just as you are."

Jason raised his head from her shoulder, his eyes bright and shining to look at her. His brain registered her use of present tense, and hope exploded through him. He asked hoarsely, "Are you sure?"

A laugh escaped her, "of course I'm sure, you idiot." She said tenderly. He looked at her, then, with a quick movement, kissed her. She made a surprised noise in the back of her throat, and then threw herself into the kiss with six years of frustrated desire behind it. The kiss quickly escalated into more, as passion took them to new heights. As they approached the point of no return, Jason dragged himself out of her embrace, leaning on his elbows and looking down at her. "Are you sure?" He muttered the question, praying to god the answer was yes. It wasn't. The answer was a feral growl as she knocked him off balance, swung them around so she was on top, and kissed him, hard. He decided that she meant to say yes, and gave himself up to her with delight.

O O O

"Yes, that's right." Elizabeth sighed into the phone, "I'm sure. Ribs, strawberries and whipped cream, a chocolate milkshake, pancakes, bacon, a green salad with dressing on the side and Creme Brulee. Un huh. Oh wait.. Jason!" She yelled, "Do you want anything from room service?" The server on the other end heard voices, then the woman came back on. "Two of everything please. If you could hurry, we are starving! Oh, and charge it to the room, thank you. Hey, hey, Jason! Stop that." There was some giggling, and then the line when dead.

"Say uncle." Jason had pinned Elizabeth down, and was tickling her mercilessly.

"No!" She shrieked as he began to tickle her in earnest. "Okay, uncle! Uncle!" They collapsed on the bed, and Jason leaned over her, stroking her hair. Her breath caught at love she could see and feel whenever she looked at him.

Jason spoke, his voice hesitant. "Elizabeth, I know, well, I know that this is probably too quick. I know it is. But I don't want to waste anymore time. I love you. I have always loved you. I never knew how much I could envy someone until you chose to say with Lucky, and when I saw you with Zander. I didn't understand how regret could twist your life until I lied to you, and you weren't around anymore. I trust you, I miss you when you're not there, I see things with you I never see with anyone else. I want to spend every day of my life with you, starting now." He stopped, and, looking into her eyes with intensity, asked, "Will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down her face, and she pressed a kiss to his lips. "I never knew that more than friends could be the best kind of love. I've spent so long wishing you were with me. When I walked out of your penthouse that day, it was like I left the best part of me in there, with you. I didn't understand longing until you were gone." She repeated his words like a vow, "I trust you, I miss you when you're not there, I see things with you I never see with anyone else. I want to spend everyday of my life with you, starting now." She kissed him again. "I love you, and there is nothing in this whole world I want more than to be your wife."

When the waiter knocked on the door ten minutes later, there was no response. He knocked again, reaching around the enormous order. Two voices chorused, "Go away!" He looked at the cart wryly, wondering if he should leave it for them to find later, but decided against it. He had a feeling they were going to be busy for a long, long time.

The End

Well, what do you think? What? Tell me! Tell me NOW! Come on.. Please?


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